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A. A. ICENHOUR GLASS MAKING MACHXH Filed Nov. 8, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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A. A. ICENHOUR GLASS MAKING- MACHINE Filed Nov. a. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 nuenon' Zberzcenzour vii/111 l H [oruga lll Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES FFlCE.

ALBERT A. ICENHOUR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNQR TO HIMSELF, BENJAMN F. NEUMANN'VEMIL C. PATZER, AND WESLEY E. GARRISON, TRSTEES, ALL 0F DE- TROIT, MICHIGAN.

Application led November 8, w22. Serial No.. 599,700.

My said invention relates to an improvement in machines Jfor the manufacture oii glass and involves also an improved method oit glass making and a novel product made thereby. It is an object of the invention to eliminate the usual grinding and polishing process since the product of the machine o1"l my invention is ready for use except for the usual annealing, cutting and trimming op erations.

A further object of the invention is to eliminate the handling of pots since according to my process the pots do not need to be dumped to empty them either my inverting the pots or by the use of pots having an open bottom or otherwise.

A further object of the invention is to provide sheets ot glass of any desired length, width and thickness at a greatly reduced cost, the cost of production being reduced approximately 75% over ordinary known methods. One ot the main features of economy resides in the saving ot labor since by the use of my invention twenty-tour nien working in three eight hour shifts are able to turn out work equivalent to that oi three hundred and iit'ty men making plate glass according to the old style rolling and grinding process.

A further object ot the invention is to provide as a product sheets of glass having a tinished surface, i. e., the glass is trans parent throughout and has a skin surface providing a perfect finish with a high nat ural polish as distinguished from the polish resulting from grinding and polishing.

Still another object is the provision of a pot or Crucible ot improved type. Other obA jects ot invention and in'iprovements in details of construction and the like will appear irom the following specification:

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on whicl similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved machine, with parts broken away and others shown diagrammatically for the sake of clearness,

Figure 2, a iragn'ientary section on line Q-Q of Figure l,

Figure 3, a plan of the carrier Jfor the pots and its housing,

Figure 4, a section on line 4 4 of Fig ure 3,

Figure 5, a plan on an enlarged scale of the improved pot used in my machine, this being oil' slightly modified form,

Figure 6, a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7, a section on line lL-7 of Figure 9 with parts broken away.

lFigure 8 is an elevation taken from the leithand side of Figure 9, hereinafter referred t as the front of the machine,

y Figure 9, a plan of the parts shown in Figures 7 and S,

Figure l0, an elevation of the bait shown in Figure 8, the parts being turned through an angle oit 900,

Figure 1l a section on line ll-ll of Figure l0, and

Figure l2 a section on line 12-12 of Figure l0.

In the drawings reference character l() in dicates the outer wall oi a closed housing having an inner wall 1l, a iioor l2 and a ceiling 13. Within the housing so formed there is provided an endless conveyor having trucks 14 which may be separate or connected in any desirable manner and are mounted on wheels l5, these wheels ruiming on rails 16 forming an endless track. The conveyor carries teeth 'forming a rack l? driven by a pinion on the shaft ot a motor 18. rllhe conveyor is adapted to carry a series oi' pots. In the Jform here shown the pots are termed segmental blocks 1 9 to contorni to the shape ot the housing, and each block has a pair of openings 20, torining a twin pot. These segmental blocks are so formed for the sake of convenience in manufacture. In a preferred iform oi the invention a .single circular block will be utilized, such block having the proper number ci openings and being formed from refractory material, as usual. lt will be understood that neither the specific forni ot conveyor nor the specific form ot the pot is essential to my invention as the melted may be supplied by other devices than those shown in the drawings.

In the form shown in TFigures 5 and (l oi' the drawings each pot 2l is of rectangular form and is provided with a rectangular cavity at 22 having at its ends inward prollt) lill) jections of the material of the pot shaped as reentrant angles These angles, or the points thereof, which are or may be ot the same. material as the remainder et the pot are oppositely positioned with reference to the shape of the cavity for a purpose which ivill appear hereinafter. The shape of the cavity is not essential nor is it essential that the points 2S shall be at opposite ends or sides of the cavity but only that they be positioned oppositely with reference to each other so that a straight line can be drawn 'from one to the other. The various pots shown and described are such as l have found best adapted to my purpose but other forms Will be found feasible and While pots ot the forms described are very simple and therefore desirable for my purpose it will be found possible to operate with others ot Widely different character. it one side of the conveyor housing' there provided a 'feeding means 24 which may be ot any desirable or conventional form, it being essential only that a proper supply or molten glass be furnished to each pot. ln some cases it may be desirable to feed a batch ot raw material to the pot and melt it in the same.

The enclosing housing has for its objects to retain the heat of the molten glass and the devices in the housing, and to prevent access of air currents to the surface of the glass. At a position herein shown as directly opposite the feeding position an opening is provided in the housing by means of which a. single pot is exposed at a time. Vertical Walls 25 are provided at opposite sides ot the opening to shut off the spaces in the housing' 'from the outer air so far as feasible. By reference to Figures l, @and 7 it will be noted that the pots at the upper edges of their longitudinal sides are provided With steps or ledges 26, 27, 28 and 29 which cooperate with complementary steps or ledges on the housing to assist in holding' the heat in the pots and to limit the access of air to such an amount as will suiiice to maintain goed combustion in the upper part of the housing'. Heat may be supplied to the housing in any conventional or desired manner. The. body et molten glass is indicated at 30.

In the practice ot my invention it is preterable to provide in each pot only so much glass as Will suHice for the 'drawingot a single sheet, or rather a little more than such amount since it is not practicable to draw all of the glass out of the pot into a sheet of glass and this is the reason Why I prefer to utilize a number et small pots, it being' possible also to draw from an endless stream of molten glass or from a large mass of the same though perhaps with less desirable results. By using small pots in a protecting' housing1 the glass that remains in the pot does not cool to an excessive extent and so Will merge into the next batch .fred u 'hen the pot again reaches charging' posi tion.

For the purpose of drawing the glass` in the pot I have provided a single cold bait which is shown in detail in Figures l0 to l2 and to which the glass will not adhere thus making' it unnecessary to provide additional baits or te require. labor to clean off the bait. This baitrcomprises a truck consisting oi cross-bars 3l and 3:2 and adjustably mounted rollers 38 at opposite ends ot the cross-barsv` these rollers being' adapted to run on a pair o't opposed rails 234-. The truck carries a bar S5 adapted to be connected at one end to a cable 36 by quick-releasing' hook and carrying' at the other' end a support 38 for a fixed hook-shaped jaiv 39. The cable 3G passes over a pulley 40 and thence to a drum l-l operated by a train of gearing' from a motor l2 to raise and lovver the bait. fi movable jaiv i3 is located in position to cooperate With the fixed jaw, the lined j avv being' lowered int-o the molten glass and formingr a hook-shaped freeze as indicated at 44 in Figure l1 and the movable jaw being then caused to clamp dovvn on the freeze or lip of partially solidified glass to prevent the same from slipping' oil in drawing the sheet from the pot. rfhe javvs are held in slidable relation to each other by bolts 45 on the fixed` jaw passing' through the movable jaw and also through a spacer bar 46 at the front side of the movable jaw. For operating the movable jaw I have shown a handle t7 pivoted at 48 and pivotally connected at the other end toa link 49 which is also pivotally connected to the movable In the full line position of Figure 10 it will be seen that the jaws are closed7 Whereas in the dotted line position they are open.

A movable frame is adapted to be positioned on the pot exposed by the opening' in the housing' (F 2). Said frame. is oi skeleton construction having at each side spaced uprights 50 and 5l connected by crosspieces 52 and 53. Uprights 5ft are secured to members 50 by bolts 55 and carry a plurality of rollers 56 covered With asbestos. Guide rails 34 are secured to the uprights in any convenient manner, and as here shown may be attached to the crosspieces by bolts 58, these rails forming Lguides for the rollers on the truck of the bait.

A pair of roclrarms 59 and 60 are each pivoted at one end to stubshatts 6l projecting from opposite sides of the ladder-like frame and at their other ends are rigidly secured to a shaft 62 having at its opposite ends gears 63 by Which it is driven. The drive 'for this purpose is from a motor 64 through a Worm G5 and Worm gear 66 to a shaft 67, at the far side of the machine in ion lli;

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liigure l. This shalt has a pinion driving a gear 68 which is on the saine shaft with pinion 69 meshing with gear 70 lfxed to a pinion 7l `which through gear 72 drives shaft T The shaft i3 carries near opposite ends pinions Tl meshing with gears 63. Beneath the shaft @il is a shalt 75 carrying at opposite ends pinions 76 meshing with gears and serving to hold shaft 62 in proper alineinent with the machine traine. A cable 7i' slioivn in dill'erent positions in Figures l and i is attached to the lower end et' the movable iframe and passes over shaft G2 about a series or' loose pulleys 78 and 79 to a drum 8O diivenby a train olf gearing from a motor El ln the operation oit my machine av succession oi' masses oi? molten glass are carried to the drawing position the bait is lowered to enter .the tired jaw into the mass and here forms a hook-shaped ireeze oit soli lied partly-cooled glass due to the relatively hook of the bait. The movable jaw is lowered so that the lip `oi the recto oi glass is caught between the jaws as shown in Figure ll. It is to be understood that the bait is lowered so to entend across the cavity of the pot in line 'ith the points 23. Should a pot rock on its vertical axis or something else occur to prevent suoli pos1- tioning, the traine must he moved hy nand or by appropriate mechanism to restore the alinement. The bait is normally guided by the side rails so that thejaws are alined directly with the points 253 and after iornr ing the freeze the bait is retracted 'to dranT a sheet ot" glass in upward direction. The points 23 are lino-Wn as cold points, they having' the lowest temperature ot any part of the Wall oi the glass-holding chamber and as soon as such movement begins the glass will adheii'e to the points While the remainder oiEA the glass inthe pot will draw apparently with absolute uniformity upward into a sheet and this sheet will be 'formed with out wrinkle or Vtlaiv, transparent and with a pertectly smooth surface having an extremely high natural polish, such l prefer to call .ni-silver lire polish. llliflien the sheet has been drawn ot sullicient height the carriage will be engagei'l by detente 82 to prevent retrograde movement and the sheet will be severed from the remaining in the pot and the cable unhoolred at 3'?. rShe motor Ga vwill new be started to revolve the slia'tt therebv moving the iocl-a-iins 59 and G() with the trameWork c il'ied thereby, the bfi-it and the sheet oi into position 2 l), this being due to the connection or the roclnarms to the Ytraine. The cable (7 which is now wound up on the drum 50 by the motor 8l and this action combined ivith that oi the rock-arms causes the trame to move on through position 3 etc. until it is iinally arrested in the horizontal position i in Figure l by stops 8i and from this position the sheet ot glass cau be moved in any desired Way into the lehr. The sheet ot While being raised by the bait is very close to lthe rollers 56 (in'practice about l/l tors such as the absence ot any bending during the process ot mauuit'acture are also iniportant, the main factor however being that during the entire formative period While the gli-iss is changing 'from a plastic to a solid lition no extraneous object or foreign :e contacts with the glass save for the hat itself. A iter `the. sheet is moved the lehr the swinging traine is again ed by reversing the motion ot the rockerarni 59 and lottiio oil the cable 77, this resulting in the movement or' the frame and the roclarms into Va series ot positions the reverse ot those indicated in Figure l;

will be evident to those skilled in the art that iuiinerous changes may be made in device Without departing from the spirit ot the invention. For example the shape o'i' the pot may he varied. ln the structure shown the opposed points and the bait divide 'the mass ot glass into two appr-oaimately symmetrical portions. This is a contributing factor to the perfection of the product in that the conta-ined heat at each eide of the line bet-Ween the points will be substantially equal as Well as the quantity ot glass and all the other factors entering into the drawing process. lt will be evident, however., that two such opposed points can be erected in a container olf other iorm which need not be symmetrical since by di reetly varying the hea-t according to location of the points the di Jturbing intii'ience ot unsyninietrical shape may be compensated and similarly with other toeters entering into the process.

lt will be obvious that an endless succession oi the pots is not essential since the method can be carri ed out with a single pot or an endless sheet or' glass might he formed from an untailing supply. Other materials than asbestos may he found satisfactory for use on the roller, or as rollers, and in general l do not limit inyselif to the .specii'ic devices shown and described, butonly as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said in` vention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. ln a glass machine, a` bait, means to litt the saine to draw a sheet ot glass, and a if i.; i)

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swingable support having asbestos covered rollers to receive the sheet and position it for entrance to the lehr, substantially as set forth.

2. In a glass machine, a normally upright frame, a bait movable up and down on the frame to `draw a sheet of glass, means on the frame to hold the bait in elevated position, means for lowe 1ing the frame with the sheet of `glass into horizontal position, and means on the frame to support said sheet of glass in the latter position, substantially as set forth.

3. In a glass machine, a frame, a bait movable up and down on the frame to draw a sheet of glass from a supply of molten glass said sheet being free of ccutact with extraneous bodies prior to solidification, and means to move the frame thereafter into position to support said sheet for entrance into the lehr, substantially as set forth.

4f. ln a glass machine, a frame, a bait movable up and down on the frame to draw a sheet of glass from a supply cf molten glass said sheet being free of Contact with extraneous bodies prior to solidiiratinn, means te move the frame away from the source of supply and means to move the frame thereafter into contact with the glass and then into horizontal supporting position, substantially as set forth.

5. In a glass machine, a frame, a bait movable up and down on the frame to draw a sheet of glass from a supply of molten glass said sheet being free of Contact with extraneous bodies prior to solidification, means to move the frame thereafter into position to supportsaid sheet for entrance into the lehr, and means to return the frame to upright position when the sheet has been removed, substantially as set forth.

6. A glass machine comprising a vertically movable bait, a carrier for bringing pots of molten glass into operative position relat-ively to said bait, and a housing covering the pots not occupying' such position said pots having stepped recesses deepest at the top of the pot, and flanges of different width on the housing engaging said recesses in the pots to protect their contents from currents of relatively cold air, substantially as set forth.

7. In a glass making machine, a bait for dra-wing a sheet of glass, a frame having vertical guiding means for the bait, means on the frame for supporting the bait in elevated position, means for swinging the lower end of the frame toward the front of the machine to place the frame in horizontal position, and means on the frame adapted to engage a face of said sheet for supporting the sheet of glass in such position, substantially as set forth.

8. In a glass making machine, a baitfor drawing a sheet of glass, a frame having vertical guiding means for the b ait, means on the frame for supporting the bait in elevated position, a transverse shaft in advance, of the frame7 roclarms on the shaft pivotally secured to opposite sides of the frame, means for moving the shaft to swing the frame to,- ward the front of the machine, means for swinging the frame on its pivotal support into horizontal position as it approaches the front of the machine, and means on the frame for supporting the sheet of glass during the swinging movement substantially as set forth.

9. In a glass mal-:ing machine, a bait, a frame having vert-ical guiding means for the bait, means on thel frame for supporting the bait in elevated position, a transverse shaft in advance. of the frame, roclrarms on the shaft pivotally secured to opposite sides of 'l 1 frame, means for. moving the shaftA to swing the frame toward the front of the machine, a cable attached to the lower end of the .frame and means for winding up the cable to swing the frame toward horizontal position as it moves toward the front of the machine, substantially as set forth.

l0. .ln a glass making machine, a bait, a frame having vertical guiding means for the bait, means on the frame for supporting the bait in elevated position, a transverse shaft in advance lof the frame, rockarms on the shaft pivotally secured to opposite sides of the frame, means for moving the shaft to swing the frame toward the front of the machine said means also .serving to move the shaft in the opposite direction to return the frame to drawing position over a Vmolten mass of glass, substantially as set forth.

ll. in a glass makin-g machine, a closed housing having inwardly projecting stepped flanges, and a pot adapted to travel in said housing said pot having stepped flanges cooperating with those on the housing to limit lthe access of air to the upper part of the housing, siiibstantially as set forth.

l2. ln a `glass making machine, a bait, a framework having vertical guiding means for said bait, releasable means for elevating the bait and means for sustaining said bait in elevated position after the elevating means is released, substantially as set forth.

i8. In a glass making machine. a bait, a framework having vertical guiding means for said bait, and spring-pressed d-etents on the framework adapted to engage. the bait for sustaining the same in elevated position, substantially as set forth.

i4. in a glass making machine, a bait, a framework having vertical guiding means for the bait, said guiding means adapted to be swung into a horizontal position .and a series of rollers closely adjacent to the sheet of glass as drawn for sustaining the glass in the horizontal position of the guiding means, substantially as set forth.

15. In a, glass making machine, a hait, a framework having Vertical guiding means foi the beit, Said framework adapted to he moved into horizontal position, a oablo fletnohalily e y nneeted to the hait, moans for Winding and nnwinding the Goble 'to mise and low-e1: the bait, ineens lo move the frame from upright to incumbent position and back again independently of seid cable, ineens on the ironie foi' rsnsiziining the hait in elevated position and means closelg7 adje-eentto the glass in elevated position of the bait for sustaining; the mine when the iiininewoil; is moved info horizontal position, Substantially as set forth.

16. In n glass machine, a freine, a bait movable up and clown relatively to the frame to draw :i sheet of from a supply olf molten the face of said .sheet being free of Contact with extraneous bodies prior io the solicliioaton, and ineens for moving The freine into position to support the shoe-*U for entrance into the iehi, substantially as set forth.

En Witness whereof, E have heionnto Set my hond seal at llashington, District of Columbiau this seventh (lay of November, A. D, nineteen hundred and twenty-two.

ALBERT A. ICENHOUR. [L S-l 

